Starswirl's Nightmare
by SirScribe
Summary: An important event has taken place in the Castle of the Two Sisters, and Star Swirl the Bearded is there to witness it all. When a peaceful night ends up producing a nightmare, Star Swirl must act if Equestria is to survive. He isn't the only one who is having a bad time, however. As it turns out, Celestia has problems of her own. Can they help each other survive the night?


**A/N: Greetings everypony. I haven't even come close to finishing my other works, and I know that pretty well, but I just thought this up. I was just on iFunny when someone posted a pic of Starswirl the Bearded, and it just clicked. Also, it helped that I have a theory with the chest. A theory that will be shared on here. I am listening to 'Legacy of Starswirl' by Carbon Maestro. Look it up on YouTube, I love this piece.**

**Since Pinkie and the others went to bed, I am here by myself. So, this is going to be quick and painless. Well, maybe. It probably won't fit into canon, but oh well. I just need to get this out there.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own MLP:FiM. All rights go to HASBRO and Lauren Faust.**

**ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!**

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Star Swirl sighed as he sat alone in his tower. His eyes were droopy, and there were noticeable bags under his eyes. It was clear that sleep wasn't being friendly to him. He raised his horn at the candle in front of him. With a small Incendiary Spell, he lit up the room. He bathed in the warm glow of the candle. He positioned it on his pedestal along with a book and quill. He opened the book and dipped his quill in a small container of ink.

Star Swirl yawned. It was a long night filled with stargazing, but he pledged to sleep after his entry was done. He lifted the quill with his magic and began to write.

_Day 7,320_

_It has been 20 years since the last conflict under Celestia and Luna's rule, and at last, Equestria is at peace. Some time before that, as I'm sure you are aware, my pupil Clover the Clever began resisting my teachings. If Clover wants to be as great as me, she will have to come back to resume her studies. What does she do instead? Clover decides that Friendship is more powerful than any of my spells. Unbelievable. Giving somepony a flower or holding a door does not grant one magical abilities. It's common sense._

_Anyway, my report on the artifact is enclosed. I have determined that the object holds a considerable amount of power, and yet-_

Star Swirl looked up at the artifact. The crystal blue chest sat there on his desk, mocking him. Ever since he found it (Well, somepony presented it to him, but he likes to believe he found out what it was), the chest was his top priority. Of course he had much to do, but the chest demanded more attention.

Next to the chest was an array of 6 keys, each one colored differently. They were White, Pink, Cyan, Yellow, Orange, and Lavender. The colors at first meant nothing to him, but when he closer examined the chest, each lock was colored differently. Each key was assigned to a lock.

_It has decided to resist mine. The keys and chest are all united, but there is nothing left to do. The chest emits a strong magical field that makes it impossible for me to unlock it. I fear the unlocking of the chest will not happen in my lifetime._

_I sense great distress in the kingdom. Celestia knows how much I enjoy interfering in political affairs. Anyhow, the chest and keys are magically protected from one another, and I fear whatever is inside will be greater in power than the Elements of Harmony. I will continue my research until an answer arises._

_-Star Swirl the Bearded_

The unicorn sighed. He just had to have 'the Bearded' put into his name. At one point in time, all stallions had beards, yet they didn't change their names to 'Something something the Bearded'. The unicorn shook his head and closed the book. He was about to blow out the candlelight, but a loud knocking came from his front door.

Star Swirl sighed. Everypony was supposed to be asleep by now, including himself. He was about to blow out the light and go to sleep, but the knocking continued. He looked out the window. Below him was Celestia and Luna's castle. It's beauty was somewhat hidden by the Forest. Still, the stone structure was something to behold.

He walked to the door and opened it. Sure enough, it was his old pupil, Clover the Clever. She was worn out and her clothes were tattered. She looked like she was running for ages. Star Swirl rolled his eyes. "Can I help you?"

Clover looked up at the unicorn. "Star Swirl, please you must help! Celestia begs for your assistance!"

Star Swirl sighed. "No." He tried closing the door, but Clover's magic prevented the door from doing so.

"Why won't you? In the old days, you would jump out your window to help others. What's changed?"

"My age." He tried closing again. Failure.

Clover sighed. "Why won't you help?"

Star Swirl sighed. "Because I am a unicorn. A regular unicorn is a great magical talent that most would kill over. Then there is an alicorn. Alicorns have greater magical talent than I could ever hope to achieve. An alicorn can raise the Sun and Moon by herself. It takes an army of unicorns to raise the Sun once. Answer me this: Why does Celestia need the help of a unicorn?"

"Wow, you really haven't changed," Clover said.

He snorted. "Tell me something new."

Clover was about to speak, but Star Swirl silenced her. "Please, let me just go to sleep. I've been on my hooves for days and nights, and a few good hours of sleep sound really good right now," he said.

He tried closing the door on his pupil, but Clover kept her hoof in the door. "Celestia can't wait until you finish your nap, you selfish old unicorn."

Star Swirl stopped. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Star Swirl. You are always like this: thinking for yourself. You don't bother lifting a hoof to help others, and I keep telling you, friendship is a more powerful magic than any before it," Clover said. "Don't you want that magic?"

"I am not dancing in a field full of woodland creatures wearing a flower crown. Is friendship really magic, or are you trying to ask an old stallion out?"

"IT'S REAL!"

Star Swirl smirked and walked back to his study. "You got lucky with the Windigos, that much is clear. You used a heat spell to melt the Windigo's bodies, breaking their hold on the land. Trust me, friendship had nothing to do with it."

Clover stamped her hoof on the floorboards. "Please listen to me! Celestia needs your help, and there is nopony else who can help her! She needs your help!"

He ignored her. He peered out the window and looked up to see the stars. "Do you ever wonder about the stars?"

Clover groaned. "You're not helping!"

"I'm serious. Do you ever look up at the night sky and wonder about the stars?"

Clover walked over to her former teacher and sat next to him. "I never question the night. The night stars were created by Princess Luna after the blizzard ended 50 years ago. They were her own creation woven into the fabric of space and time. It is believed that she will keep those stars in the sky way after our time passes. The stars are the windows to the past."

Star Swirl shrugged in agreement. "You are half right. The stars in the sky are the same stars our ancestors saw, but they were not fabricated by Princess Luna. In fact, they are not little dots you weave into the fabric of space."

"That's sleep deprivation talking," Clover said.

"Perhaps. However, I have recently purchased a telescope and for the last week, I've been watching the night sky. I've seen every star out there, and there is still much more to see. Take a look for yourself," he said, offering the viewing lens to Clover.

She sighed and peered into the lens. "I'm going to enhance the lens. You will see the stars differently."

He moved a few dials on the body of the telescope. Clover exclaimed in amazement. "That's amazing! They escape our planet!"

He nodded. "They just keep going! They are farther away than I thought!"

Clover moved away from the telescope. "Does-does that mean Luna is a fake?"

"Oh no! No, she is very real in her work. See, those stars really weren't there for us to admire before the blizzard. There were no stars in the sky, just the Sun and Moon. When Princess Luna took over the night sky, she cleared up the sky for us to see the stars. Her magic keeps the night beautiful. Pity nopony likes being out at night," Star Swirl said.

Clover smiled. "Well I love the night. It's peaceful during the night."

"Which is why everypony sleeps."

Star Swirl yawned. Clover was about to as well, but she stopped herself. Star Swirl raised his hoof to his face. Celestia's Sun was just peaking over the forest. Night had officially ended. Ponies would be awake soon. "Ah, the Sun is just coming up. Brilliant. Time for me to sleep the day away, if you don't mind."

Clover shook her head. "At some point, you have to come with me. Celestia still needs you."

He smiled. "I don't see how Celestia ne-"

There was a loud crash. An explosion inside the castle. The explosion knocked both figures to the ground. Star Swirl peered outside his window to find the problem. "What in the name of- Oh heavens!"

Clover looked out the window. The Sun was up, but the Moon was being forced up over it. For some reason, Luna created an eclipse. Immediately, the sky turned dark, especially over where the throne room was.

"No. LUNA NO!"

It was too late. The window cracked. Immediately, he heard a loud cackling from the castle. So much for the nap.


End file.
